They remembered the childhood thrills, the jumping up and down and the wide eyes and smiles of having their biggest wishes come true.

Scioscia received his first catcher's mitt under the tree in 1968. Wilson got a Nintendo game system at age 6; Trumbo, a big-barreled bat at age 12; and Conger, the mother lode with a 64-pack of colored pencils, a Stretch Armstrong action figure and a remote-controlled car at age 8.

Madson's top memory came with the Christmas Eve 2007 arrival of twin boys, Luke Ryan and Sean Michael. Smith and Soliz, knowing they couldn't top Madson, went with bicycles. Smith got a purple metallic pop-wheelie-ready cycle with a banana seat and tall handlebars, and Soliz, at age 8, was surprised to receive the chrome Schwinn Predator he thought was too expensive for even Santa.

A day after the holiday party, news surfaced that the Angels were signing 2010 AL MVP slugging outfielder Josh Hamilton to a five-year deal worth a reported $125 million.

And it was Angels fans who were getting the biggest, flashiest present of the season. Surprise!

There wasn't even a hint about Hamilton being bowed or gift-wrapped during the holiday party,which took place four hours after the Angels had introduced their four new pitching reinforcements at the same venue.

Scioscia spoke only about how the additional pitchers would add necessary depth to the starting rotation and the bullpen that couldn't hold leads last season.

But Scioscia has a history of being quite the sly Santa. He's the same dad who hid a golden retriever puppy on a Christmas morning about a decade ago and sent his daughter, Taylor, to go find her gift from Santa in the pool house of their Westlake Village home.

Also Wednesday, General Manager Jerry Dipoto had said no other major moves were "imminent" that morning. But we should have learned last year of his — and Angels owner Arte Moreno's — penchant for dramatic gift-giving when the Angels set out to land their top target at the winter meetings, Wilson, and came back with both Wilson and nine-time All-Star slugger Albert Pujols.

This year, signing Josh Hamilton stunned everyone because it was so unexpected for a team with a wealth of outfielders and supposedly a tighter budget. Landing Hamilton provided that same "Christmas magic" that Wilson spoke of when he was a kid overjoyed to unwrap his new Nintendo.

"It was cool because you don't expect that someone is going to give you that extra little thing and it's going to be a big deal and that gift you love but didn't know was coming," Wilson said.

"It's harder these days (to be surprised by gifts) because everybody makes lists. It's cooler just to get somebody a gift because you love them and care."

There's no doubt that Moreno and Dipoto care about winning a World Series by stacking a team to return to the playoffs after a three-year absence.

The Angels, since Dipoto's arrival in October 2011, have made the free-agent market their Costco.

Just when we think they're going to the big box store to get a 24-pack of toilet paper and bulk toothpaste, they return with a Jacuzzi, a set of four radial tires and the long register tape to prove it.

At last year's holiday party, the players and coaches celebrated the early arrival of Pujols and Wilson, the best bat and arm on the free-agent market.

On Wednesday, without tipping their hands about continuing negotiations with Hamilton, these Santas in Angels jerseys were mute about their impending merry.

Angels broadcaster Jose Mota, the emcee of the event, brought a Santa Ana boy named Jonathan up to the microphone to ask a question: "When will you win the World Series again?"

Nobody in the audience that included children from local Boys and Girls Clubs, Kristie's Foundation, Orangewood Children's Foundation, Olivecrest and Kidworks knew more surprises were in store.

The children got autographs from the players on their new Angels caps, feasted on pasta and chicken tenders, played free video games and picked from a pile of toys donated by fans who came out to the Angel Stadium early this month to take a Halo Holiday Photo.

The biggest gift was a day away.

Hundreds of Angels fans lined the barricades outside ESPNZone in Downtown Disney on Saturday to see Hamilton walk down the red carpet to the Angels news conference.

Hamilton arrived early and chose to spend 30 minutes meeting his new fans, signing autographs and taking photos.

In the crowd was a group of about 25 Boys and Girls Club children who had attended the holiday party four days before. They got a glimpse of the hulking slugger with curly hair and tattoos that pokes out of his sleeves when he shook hands.